Battery Case and Bicycle Pedal Module Using the Same

The present invention relates to a battery case and a bicycle pedal module using the same.

An electronic device is usually powered by wired connections. For example, a metal piece of a battery case is connected with a circuit board by a wire, and the advantage of using wires is that they are flexible and bendable to meet different requirements.

However, the wires are easy to be damaged or be detached from welding points due to unexpected external forces. Therefore, when the electronic device is used in an environment that is prone to shaking (such as when used on a bicycle) or when components or batteries of the electronic device are replaced, the wires and their welding points are easy to fall off or be broken. In addition, for hiding the wires in the electronic device, the assembling process of the electronic device is time consuming, and a volume of the electronic device is increased, which results in a poor appearance.

The present invention is, therefore, arisen to obviate or at least mitigate the above-mentioned disadvantages.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a battery case and a bicycle pedal module using the same, which has a simple structure, small volume and provides stable conductivity.

To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides a battery case, including: a first housing and a second housing. The first housing includes a first conductive holder and a first insulating layer, the first conductive holder is partially covered with the first insulating layer, and a portion of the first conductive holder exposed outside the first insulating layer forms a first contact portion and a first output portion. The second housing includes a second conductive holder and a second insulating layer, the second conductive holder is partially covered with the second insulating layer, and a portion of the second conductive holder exposed outside the second insulating layer forms a second contact portion and a second output portion. The first housing and the second housing are connected with each other to receive a battery therebetween, and the first contact portion and the second contact portion are configured to be electrically connected with the battery. The first output portion and the second output portion are configured to be electrically connected with an electronic module.

To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention further provides a bicycle pedal module using the battery case as described above, and the bicycle pedal module includes: a pedal body, a shaft assembly, a conductive module and the battery case as described above. One side of the shaft assembly is disposed within the pedal body, and the other side of the shaft assembly is configured to be connected with a crank. The conductive module is positioned on a side of the shaft assembly remote from the pedal body and includes a positive contact unit, a negative contact unit, a positive output end and a negative output end. The positive contact unit is electrically connected with the positive output end, and the negative contact unit is electrically connected with the negative output end. The positive output end and the negative output end are configured to be electrically connected with an electronic module. The battery case is detachably disposed on the conductive module. The first output portion and the negative contact unit are abutted against and electrically conducted with each other, and the second output portion and the positive contact unit are abutted against and electrically conducted with each other.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention.

Please refer tofor a preferable embodiment of the present invention. A battery caseof the present invention is configured to be arranged outboard at a bicycle pedal module, and the battery caseincludes: a first housingand a second housing.

The first housingincludes a first conductive holderand a first insulating layer. The first conductive holderis partially covered with the first insulating layer, and a portion of the first conductive holderexposed outside the first insulating layerforms a first contact portionand a first output portion. Similarly, the second housingincludes a second conductive holderand a second insulating layer. The second conductive holderis partially covered with the second insulating layer, and a portion of the second conductive holderexposed outside the second insulating layerforms a second contact portionand a second output portion. The first housingand the second housingare connected with each other to receive a batterytherebetween, and the first contact portionand the second contact portionare configured to be electrically connected with the battery. The first output portionand the second output portionare configured to be electrically connected with an electronic module(such as a cadence sensing module).

Therefore, an electric power of the batteryis wirelessly transmitted to the electronic moduleby the first conductive holderand the second conductive holder, which greatly simplifies and minimizes a structure of the battery case. In addition, the welding process for connecting wires in prior arts is unnecessary so that the battery casecan be processed quickly, and there are no wires and welding points. The battery caseof the present invention is suitable to use in an dynamic environment, such as the bicycle pedal module. Moreover, when a user replaces the batterywhich is disposable, it can be assembled quickly without worrying about damaging the conductive structures (such as wires and welding points).

Specifically, the first conductive holderis made of aluminum alloy, and the second conductive holderis also made of aluminum alloy, which is easy to process and provides good structural strength, good conductivity, preferable appearance and light weight. In a manufacturing process of the first housing, the first conductive holderis subjected to an insulation process and the first conductive holderis completely covered with the first insulating layer. Then, portions of the first insulating layerare cut off to form the first contact portionand the first output portion. A manufacturing process of the second housingis the same as the manufacturing process of the first housing.

The first conductive holderfurther includes a first recess, and the first contact portionis disposed on a wall defining the first recess. The second conductive holderfurther includes a second recess, and the second contact portionis disposed on a wall defining the second recess. The first recessand the second recessare communicated with each other and form a battery receiving roomtherebetween, and the battery receiving roomis configured to receive the battery. Preferably, the batteryis a button battery, which is facilitate to miniaturization and provides advantages of long service life, low self-discharge rate and stable output voltage.

The battery casefurther includes a conductive elastomer, and the conductive elastomeris received within the second recess. One side of the conductive elastomeris abutted against the second contact portion, and another side of the conductive elastomeris configured to be abutted against the battery. The conductive elastomercan eliminate the dimensional error of the batteryand ensure the conduction between the second contact portionand the battery. The conductive elastomermay be disposed within the first recess.

The first conductive holderhas a first through holedisposed therethrough, and the second conductive holderhas a second through holedisposed therethrough. The first through holeand the second through holeare coaxially arranged and configured for a shaft assemblyof the bicycle pedal moduleto be disposed therethrough so that the battery casecan be disposed outboard at the shaft assembly.

The first housingand the second housingdefine an accommodating roomtherebetween, and the accommodating roomis configured to receive a conductive moduleelectrically connected with the electronic module. The first output portionand the second output portionare respectively disposed on sidewalls of the first housingand the second housingdefining the accommodating room. The first through holeand the second through holerespectively penetrate through the sidewalls. In this embodiment, the first output portionand the second output portionare respectively annularly disposed around an outside of the first through holeand an outside of the second through hole.

Preferably, the battery casefurther includes a sealing member. The first housingis plate-shaped, the second housingis plate-shaped, and the first housingand the second housingrestricts the sealing membertherebetween so that the sealing membercan effectively block external moisture to ensure that no short circuit occurs. Specifically, the sealing memberincludes a frame portionand a plate portion, and the plate portionlaterally extends within the frame portion. The plate portionhas a third through holedisposed therethrough, and the third through holeand the first through holeare coaxially arranged. A portion of the first housingand a portion of the second housingare disposed within the frame portionand restrict the plate portiontherebetween to block external moisture. The plate portionfurther has an annular projectiondisposed thereon, and the annular projectionis abutted against and between the first housingand the second housingand configured to be disposed around the battery. The annular projectioncan also prevent external moisture from entering the battery receiving roomand provide a good usage environment for the battery.

The battery casefurther includes at least one fastening assembly. The first conductive holderfurther includes at least one first assembling hole, and the second conductive holderfurther includes at least one second assembling hole. A position of the at least one second assembling holeis matched with a position of the at least one first assembling hole, and the at least one fastening assemblyis disposed through the at least one first assembling holeand the at least one second assembling holeto connect the first housingwith the second housing. The first insulating layercovers a wall defining the at least one first assembling hole, and the second insulating layercovers a wall defining the at least one second assembling holeso as to avoid conduction between the batteryand the at least one fastening assembly.

In this embodiment, the at least one fastening assemblyincludes a nutand a bolt, the nutis embedded within the at least one first assembling hole, and the boltis disposed through the second assembling holeand screwed to the nut. A clamping degree of the first housingand the second housingis adjustable by tuning the bolt.

The present invention further provides a bicycle pedal module, including: a pedal body, the shaft assembly, the conductive moduleand the battery caseas described above.

One side of the shaft assemblyis disposed within the pedal body, and the other side of the shaft assemblyis configured to be connected with a crank. The conductive moduleis positioned on a side of the shaft assemblyremote from the pedal body, and the conductive moduleincludes a positive contact unit, a negative contact unit, a positive output endand a negative output end. The positive contact unitis electrically connected with the positive output end, and the negative contact unitis electrically connected with the negative output end. The positive output endand the negative output endare configured to be electrically connected with an the electronic module. The battery caseis detachably disposed on the conductive module. The first output portionand the negative contact unitare abutted against and electrically conducted with each other, and the second output portionand the positive contact unitare abutted against and electrically conducted with each other.

The conductive modulefurther includes a printed circuit board (PCB) conductor, a pressing memberand a sleeve member. The PCB conductorhas the positive output endand the negative output enddisposed thereon, and the sleeve memberincludes a supporting portionand a tube portion. The supporting portionlaterally protrudes from the tube portion, and the PCB conductoris abutted against and between the pressing memberand the supporting portion. The first housingand the second housingare assembled from an outer side of the pressing memberand an outer side of the supporting portionrespectively. The positive contact unitincludes a plurality of positive pins, and the negative contact unitincludes a plurality of negative pins. The plurality of positive pinsand the plurality of negative pinsare connected with the PCB conductorand electrically conducted with the positive output endand the negative output end. One end of each of the plurality of positive pinsis disposed through one of the pressing memberand the supporting portionand abutted against the second output portion, and one end of each of the plurality of negative pinsis disposed through the other of the pressing memberand the supporting portionand abutted against the first output portion. The sleeve memberis sleeved to the shaft assembly, and the tube portionand the shaft assemblydefine a chambertherebetween. The chamberis configured to receive the electronic module, and the positive output endand the negative output endprotrude into the chamber.

In operation, the battery caseis located between the crankand the pedal body, and the battery caseis relatively close to the crank. The battery caseis thin and light, which provides sufficient space for pedaling and avoids interference and collision with the user's feet, as shown in.

Preferably, the battery caseis rotatably disposed on the conductive module. When the shaft assemblyis assembled to the crank, the battery caseis rotated to be aligned with the crankas viewed in an axial direction of the shaft assembly, and the battery casedoes not protrude beyond the crankin a radial direction of the shaft assembly, as viewed in figured, which effectively avoids lateral collisions when the battery caseis rotated with the crank. In this embodiment, a clamping force that the first housingand the second housingexerted on the conductive moduleis adjusted by rotating the at least one fastening assembly. When the at least one fastening assemblyis loosened, the battery caseis rotatable relative to the conductive module; on the contrary, when the at least one fastening assemblyis fastened, the battery casetightly restricts the conductive module.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.